Episodes In A Life
by iloveromance
Summary: An epic story encompassing every episode of Frasier, told in Niles Crane's POV. This ongoing story is meant to fill in the blanks with things that were mentioned but not shown during the series and also some altered versions of classic scenes for storyline purposes.
1. The Return of Martin Crane I

_**A/N: This will be a rather lengthy story of many chapters (Most likely at least one for each episode; some long, some short and some episodes will have many chapters) focusing on my favorite character (Niles Crane, of course!) told in his point of view. It's intended to fill in the blanks of little things that were mentioned but not seen in the series. I've never attempted to write a story of this caliber before and so I'm planning on taking my time in posting chapters. Please leave reviews as they are appreciated. Thanks for reading.**_

* * *

Niles hung his head low after yet another berating from his wife. He loved Maris dearly and would do absolutely anything for her. He'd walk through fire, go to the ends of the earth and swim the deepest oceans. He loved her that much. But it seemed that Maris' temper had gotten the best of her… again. It certainly wasn't his fault that she'd parked too close to a fire hydrant. However, it was the worst luck of all that, according to Maris, his father had booted her car, leaving her stranded outside of Seattle's most famous downtown department store, Frederick and Nelson.

She'd called him at work, demanding that he cancel his appointments and come pick her up. He considered refusing her demands, but he knew better. She'd threaten him with divorce, upsetting him so much that he'd race around Seattle buying jewelry, chocolates and other expensive gifts in order to win back her trust and love. It seemed easy enough, but Maris was terribly hard to please. And so he reluctantly canceled his appointments and sent his secretary Mrs. Woodson home with pay. The only consolation in doing so was that it gave her a chance to spend time with her son, her daughter in law and her grandchildren.

He jumped into his car and was at the store's location on Pine Street within minutes. Through his car window, he could see Maris standing on the sidewalk, screaming at nearly every person in sight. Embarrassed, he hurried out of his Mercedes and went to her, taking her into his arms. "Maris honey, are you all right?"

As expected, she began to rant on and on, describing the turmoil that she'd been through. And it wasn't until he'd called his father using the phone in his Mercedes that he realized what had happened.

 _Damn it…_

On the drive home, he and Maris did not speak; not directly anyway. Instead he was forced to listen once more to Maris's shouting and ranting about what a horrible person his father was. This, after they'd had him over for dinner only a few nights before. He'd hoped that the dinner might have persuaded her to see that his father wasn't horrible at all, but of course, Maris' opinions of people, even ones she was related to by marriage, were not easily changed. Niles attempted to defend his dad at first, for his father was certainly not horrible and was still hurting over the death of his wife, which was understandable. Niles was still deeply hurt over the fact that his mother had passed so suddenly. He couldn't believe that he'd never see her again. He loved her so much. Tears stung his eyes and he quickly looked away. Now was not the time to be crying over a loss that Maris found to be insignificant. The image of his mother vanished quickly, replaced with another memory; one that was all too recent. And the more he thought about what his father had done to Maris' car, the angrier he became.

It was no secret that his dad didn't like Maris and Niles couldn't begin to understand why. Maris was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him and he loved her so much, even if his family did not approve. They simply couldn't understand why he loved Maris so much and there was nothing he could do or say to make them understand how he felt about her. But he hoped that in time his family would grow to love her as much as he loved her.

Oh how he wished it would happen.


	2. The Return of Martin Crane II

He was so angry by that time he reached the bar that he had to sit in his car for a few moments to collect his thoughts. He certainly didn't want to burst into the place and make a scene, but he wanted his father to know that he wasn't happy. He climbed out of the car and walked over the gravel driveway. When he reached the door he thrust it open, poking his head inside. He could see his father sitting at a nearby wooden table with his partner, Frank. The two men had been detective partners in the Seattle Police Department for as long as Niles could remember. Frank was quite a bit younger than his father, but they made the perfect team.

Frank looked up, noticing him immediately. "Marty, there's your kid."

His father turned his head and when their eyes locked, motioned to Niles to come inside. But Niles adamantly refused, choosing to stay right where he was, peeking in the doorway. "No." He answered silently, shaking his head.

His father's eyes widened a sure sign that he would soon become agitated. He moved his head, motioning Niles inside once more, but Niles again shook his head. His dad tried again and this time Niles gave up, reluctantly making his way into the tavern. He might have been an adult, but his father was still his father and as a detective, Martin Crane didn't take anything from anyone; especially his youngest son.

"Hey Niles! Take a load off!" Frank greeted him, gesturing to the empty chair beside him. Niles reached into his pocket and removed his handkerchief, wiping down the seat.

As he'd always done when he noticed Niles wiping down his seat, his father rolled his eyes. Didn't the man understand anything about cleanliness?

"Hey Niles, what's up?"

He regarded his father, incredulous. "Dad, you know very well what's up!" He snapped. "Maris is _very upset_! I've just come from dropping her off at home after picking her up at Frederick and Nelson's. I can't _believe_ you booted her car!"

His dad looked at Frank and then back at Niles. And then they chuckled. "Hmm... I remember booting a car earlier today. Are you sure that it's hers?"

Niles gritted his teeth. "The license plate says _Maris_!"

"There are lots of people named Maris." Frank said. "My mother's name is _Maris_!"

Niles' eyes narrowed. He didn't believe his father's partner for a second.

"Come on, Niles. She's loaded!" His father said. "She'll just buy a new car!"

Niles sighed. He couldn't argue with that logic. But still…

"Maris is very upset, Dad! I can't believe you booted her!"

I wouldn't mind if you booted her, Son."

Frank and his father laughed, and slapped hands discreetly under the table. Niles was no stranger to this trick of his dad's having seen it many times before. But he didn't care. Wordlessly he got up and left, walking back to his car.

Niles loved Maris, even if no one else did. And that was all that mattered.


	3. The Return of Martin Crane III

"All right, Mrs. Kyle. So these nightmares you've been having… You said they've been occurring every night?"

The small, frail woman looked up at him with large, sad eyes. "Yes, that's correct Dr. Crane. And I don't know what to do about them! I-."

The door opened without warning, causing Niles to turn his head. His secretary, Mrs. Woodson, stood in the doorway, a worried expression on her face. She'd only been his employee for a short time but in that short time she'd proved to be invaluable. However, he was now reconsidering his decision to hire her. She knew how important patient/doctor privacy was to him; he'd made that clear in her interview. And suddenly he was furious. He vowed to speak to her the moment he was finished with Mrs. Kyle's session.

"Dr. Crane, I'm sorry." She began.

"You're _damn right_ you should be sorry!" he shouted, not caring one bit that he was overstepping his boundaries. "How many times have I told you never, NEVER interrupt me while I'm in a session! Mrs. Kyle was on the verge of a possible breakthrough!"

Poor Mrs. Woodson, a woman easily old enough to be his mother, looked as though she might cry. But he had to stand his ground. He had ethics and by God he was going to respect them.

"I-I realize that, Dr. Crane. And I'm so sorry. It's just that-." She paused, as though taking a moment to compose herself.

"What is it, Mrs. Woodson?" He snapped. "I'm very busy and I don't have time for this!"

"I-the hospital's on the phone, Dr. Crane. It's your father."

He was at a complete loss. "Why would the hospital be calling about my father?"

She swallowed hard, giving him a sympathetic glance. And then she looked at Mrs. Kyle. "Dr. Crane, I know it's not my place to say, but perhaps-."

Mrs. Kyle stood and grabbed her purse. "I understand. I'm sorry about your father, Dr. Crane. I hope it's not serious. We can reschedule for another time."

But Niles was only fixated on one word. "Serious? Mrs. Woodson, what is she talking about?"

Mrs. Woodson cast another sympathetic glance at him before returning her attention to Mrs. Kyle. "I'll see you out."

When Mrs. Kyle was gone, Niles sat in his office alone, trying to figure out why the hospital would be calling him about his father.

Suddenly the door opened again and Mrs. Woodson appeared. She walked inside and smiled sadly.

"Mrs. Woodson? What's going on?"

When she reached for his hand, a gesture she'd never attempted before, worry crept into his chest. And suddenly his breathing changed. "What is it?"

She moved closer and sat down on the couch where Mrs. Kyle had been sitting. "I wanted to tell you before the hospital did."

"What is it? Mrs. Woodson, please… tell me."

"Your father's been shot!"

For a second he couldn't breathe at all. And when he miraculously began to breathe again, it was staggered. He wheezed in and out; his heart thundering in his chest.

"Wh-what?" He managed to choke out.

Mrs. Woodson's hand went to his back. "I'll transfer the call."

She walked out of his office and closed the door behind her. He could almost hear his heart thundering in his chest as he waited for the phone to ring. But when it did, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Trembling like crazy, he picked up the receiver. "H-hello? Um, I mean… Niles Crane speaking."

 _"Dr. Crane, this is Shawna from the trauma unit at the University of Washington Medical Center. Your father is Martin Crane, is that correct?"  
_

"Um, yes… He is. But-."

" _He has you listed as his nearest relative to call in an emergency. Is that correct?"_

"Um, yes... that's correct."

" _Dr. Crane, I'm sorry to inform you that your father has been shot in the line of duty."  
_

His heart clinched in his chest and tears filled his eyes. But he refused to let them fall. Perhaps the hospital was mistaken. Because surely-

" _He's in surgery now."_ The Shawna person continued _. "And he should be out soon."  
_

 _"I-is he… W-will he…"  
_

" _Dr. Stratton is a top notch surgeon."_ She explained. _"He'll be able to discuss the details with you soon."  
_

Niles swallowed hard. "I'll be right there." Wordlessly he rose from his chair and walked out of his office. "M-Mrs. Woodson!"

She was there in an instant. "Do you need me to get your brother on the phone?"

He nodded absently, barely aware of her hand on his shoulder.

"All right." She said in a gentle voice. "Just wait here. Do you want me to get you some water?"

He opened his mouth to speak but the words wouldn't come. And when he looked up, he realized that Mrs. Woodson was gone.

The phone rang again, startling him and he picked up the receiver. "Frasier."

 _"Niles? Wow, it really is you! I never thought you'd call me out of the blue like this! I can't even imagine why... Unless… Oh Dear God. What has Maris done now? Niles, I told you-."_

The comment about his wife, whom Niles knew his entire family disliked, would have angered him to the core, but at the moment he wasn't thinking about Maris.

"Frasier, Dad's been shot!"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line that stretched all the way to Boston, Massachusetts. And then he heard- " _What?"_

Niles took a deep breath, but it physically hurt to do so. Oh, how it hurt. "Dad's been shot!" He repeated.

" _But I don't… H-how? When? Is he-."  
_

"I-I don't know." Niles stammered. "The hospital just called."

" _What hospital?"  
_

He couldn't think, could barely even breathe. "I-I don't know. I-."

 _"FOR GOD'S SAKE, NILES! WHICH HOSPITAL?"_ Frasier yelled.

Niles' chest ached even further and suddenly he felt smaller than he'd ever felt before. Tears slid down his cheeks, but he made no effort to brush them away. He simply didn't have the energy. "I-I can't lose him, Frasier! I can't! I-First Mom and now this?" He was sobbing uncontrollably and he didn't even care. He could hear his older brother's words, which were an attempt to comfort him, even from over 2400 miles away.

 _"Niles, it's okay."_ Frasier said, his voice gentler now. " _Don't cry. Dad is… Well, he'll be all right. He's a strong man."_

"I-I don't-."

 _"Look, I'll be on the first flight out of Boston, okay? I'll call around to the hospitals and-."  
_

"University of Washington."

There was a slight pause and then- " _What?"_

"The University of Washington." Niles repeated. "That's where Dad is."

" _Thank you, Niles."_

"Frasier, I-."

 _"Niles, I promise I'll be there as soon as I can. But in the meantime… Give Dad a kiss for me, will you?"  
_

Niles somehow managed to smile. "Um… okay, I will."

" _I love you, Niles."_

His brother's sentiment caused more tears to fall and Niles sniffled. "I-I love you too, Frasier."

It was the first time since Niles could remember that he'd said those words to his brother or had heard them. And they meant more to him than any words they'd ever exchanged in their lives.


	4. The Return of Martin Crane IV

He drove home, desperately wanting… no, needing, comfort from his wife. He knew that he should have just driven directly to the hospital, but he also knew that just a simple touch, a hug, a kiss, did wonders for him when he was hurting. And at that moment he was hurting so badly that he wanted to cry. Again. But he held his head high. The last thing his dad needed was to see his youngest son falling to pieces.

He took a deep breath and unlocked the front door of the mansion. Once inside he closed the door and ran upstairs, eager to see his wife. He was breathless by the time he reached her door, but he stood there, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"Maris, honey? It's me."

"I'm busy, Niles." Came the muffled reply through the doorway.

He sighed deeply. Since when was his wife too busy to see him? He tried again. "Maris, please. May I come in? I realize that this is not the most opportune time, but you see… I had to leave work unexpectedly because… Oh, I'll just say it. Dad's been shot!"

Somehow saying the words did not make them seem more real. But amazingly the door opened and she was standing in front of him looking so beautiful, as only a woman of her uniqueness could be. He took a step toward her.

"Maris, I-." When, to his horror, he began to cry, he was completely stunned when she opened her arms and took him into her embrace. But it was all too brief, barely lasting enough for more tears to fall. However, in the years that they'd been married, she'd barely showed him any compassion whatsoever. And so he cherished the moment. He kissed her, desperately wanting the moment to last forever. But of course, it did not.

"What hospital?" She wanted to know, surprising him once more. Could it really be-.

"Um, the University of Washington." He stammered.

"When will you be home?"

His heart sank. He should have known better than to wish and to hope that she'd accompany him to the hospital to see his father in this, his darkest hour. "I-I'm not sure, but it won't be late. But Maris, you have to understand… Dad and I… Well, we don't have the best relationship, nor are we very close. But I do love him. I love him very much in fact, and-and I can't lose him! I can't!"

"When you get home I'll be free for a little while if you want to make love."

He snapped to attention. "W-what?"

"You heard me, Niles. I can tell by that silly expression on your face."

"I-I know I did, but… really?"

When she nodded, his lips curved into a small smile. "Really? You're really and truly-."

"Go, Niles! Go and see your father before I change my mind, all right?"

His heart leapt in his chest and he kissed her ice cold cheek. "Yes Darling. I-I will. And I'll give Dad your love. Thank you, Maris. Thank you, so much."

He kissed her again, not once, but twice, both times much more tenderly than he'd intended. And as always, she sat obediently as though accepting the kiss without reserve. "I love you, Maris. I'll love you forever.

"Go, Niles!"

"A-all right. Goodbye, my sweet."

He was so happy that he practically floated down the stairs. And it wasn't until he reached his car that he realized where he was heading and why. Like a cruel punishment, the sadness and worry overtook him once more, his promised rendezvous with his wife forgotten.


	5. The Return of Martin Crane V

His heart was heavy as he pulled into the parking garage across from the University of Washington Medical Center. Fortunately he was able to quicken his pace as he moved through the long tunnel and up the escalator until he reached the sidewalk that led to the hospital. His feet moved even faster as he made his way into the hospital and to the front desk.

"Martin Crane!" He shouted, making his way to the information desk. "I'm looking for Martin Crane, my father."

The receptionist gave him a slightly irritated look. "All right, Sir. One moment, please." She'd barely begun tapping on the keyboard when he spoke again.

"I need to see him right away! H-he was shot! He's a Seattle police officer!"

The receptionist continued to type on the keyboard, barely giving him a glance. And then she smiled. "Oh, here it is. Martin Crane. Take the elevator to the seventh floor. He's in the Mortlake Wing, Room C."

Niles' eyes widened and his heart raced. "I-is he-."

"Seventh floor, Sir. Montlake Wing, Room C." She repeated.

He was off like a bolt of lightening, rushing down the long corridor to the elevators where he pushed the button repeatedly, much to the annoyance of the few people who were also waiting. The doors barely opened and he stepped inside, shuffling his feet as the elevator made its way slowly to the seventh floor.

After what felt like an eternity, the doors opened and he was eternally grateful when he realized that he was alone. At least he'd be able to relax, if only for a moment.

"Martin Crane!" He shouted to the receptionist, pushing himself to the front of the line. "I need to see him right away!"

"Sir, you'll have to wait your turn!"

"No… you don't understand! My father…. He's been shot! I need to see him now!"

"But sir-."

"Go ahead…" An elderly man said, stepping aside for Niles to take his place in line. "I can wait."

Niles smiled graciously at the man. "You're very kind. I won't forget this."

The man simply nodded and Niles rushed to the desk before being asked. "Martin Crane."

The woman typed furiously on the keyboard. "Yes, here it is. He's in-."

"Room C, I know. I need to see him right away. He's been shot!"

"Okay, hold on, I'll get the doctor."

"Now!" Niles pleaded.

"Sir, if you'll just-."

"Now!" he said again, shouting the word.

Helpless, the woman turned to her co-worker and whispered something inaudible. And then she walked around the desk and took Niles' aside. "Come with me."

He followed her down the hallway to a room with a large door.

"Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry about your father. But he's under the best care. Here we are."

"Th-thank you." he stammered. "And I'm sorry about my outburst…. Before."

The woman smiled and touched his forearm. "I understand. He has a visitor but you can go in and see him."

"Thank you." he said again.

"I'll send the doctor to talk with you shortly."

"Thank you again." He sounded like, as the old expression went, a broken record, but he couldn't thank the hospital staff enough.

His heart continued to race as he glanced in the tiny window. He could see his father's partner talking to someone who must be his father, but the window was so small that he could barely get a glance of the man who had raised him. Nervously he pushed the door open and went inside. Now he could see his father lying in bed and his partner Frank who was sitting in the chair beside him. Frank rose at once.

"Hello Frank. Dad."

"Niles how are you?" Frank asked.

Niles cringed at the question. How in the hell do you think I am? He wanted to shout. But instead he said nothing and gave a polite smile. And then he turned to his father. Never before had Niles seen a man look so weakened before. He sat down in the empty chair beside him.

"Hey Dad. How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I think I'm going to be fine."

Niles nodded, desperately trying to keep his tears of relief at bay. But they were so dangerously close to the surface that his father's image began to swim before him.

One blink would cause those tears to fall. He tilted his head backwards, as though doing so would remedy the situation.

"Well, that's wonderful news. Thank God."

Frank rose to his feet. "Well, I'd better be going."

"Oh no, please stay."

"Come on, Frank. You don't have to leave."

Frank smiled at Niles and then at his father. "Nah, you two have plenty to talk about."

Niles almost laughed. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd had anything remotely close to a conversation with his father.

Frank paused at Martin's bedside. "I'll never drink another Slurpee as long as I live."

Martin smiled. "Well, then it was all worth it. Bye Frank. Take care."

"Bye Marty. Niles." Frank touched Niles lightly on the back as he left. And suddenly Niles was alone with his father.


	6. The Return of Martin Crane VI

Niles shifted himself in the chair next to his father's bed. "How are you, Dad? Really?"

His father barely made eye contact. "Doc says I should be out of here in a few days."

Niles nodded. "Thank God. I… um… I talked to Frasier a little while ago. He is flying in."

"Good."

Niles chest ached. "I knew something like this was going to happen someday. I've thought about it so many times."

His father shrugged. "It comes with the territory."

The tears were starting to fall, but Niles no longer cared. His father didn't seem to be paying any attention anyway. "I'll never understand how you can take these risks."

"No, I guess you won't."

The words jarred Niles like a knife to the heart. But he couldn't deny the truth of them.

Suddenly the doors opened and an attractive nurse with brown hair entered the room. She wore pink scrubs with black paw prints on them. It looked more like a pair of child's pajamas than something a nurse would wear in a hospital. "I'm sorry. Visiting hours are over."

When she was gone, Niles stood and turned to his father. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Fine." Was his father's only response.

Wordlessly Niles turned and walked out of the hospital room. Around the corner he saw a tall dark-haired man in a white coat. The name tag read _Dr. Stratton_.

"I'm Dr. Stratton." The man confirmed. "I'm glad we ran into each other like this. Do you have a moment to talk?"

He looked at the doctor in surprise. "Um, sure. My name is-."

"Niles Crane. I know. The receptionist filled me in. "Your father is the officer who was shot, correct?"

Even now the words and the reality of them made Niles shudder. "Um, yes. I just saw him, but-how is he?"

"Why don't we sit over here?"

Niles followed Dr. Stratton over to a small waiting room with a row of chairs covered in pink fabric and sat down in a corner seat. Dr. Stratton sat to his right. The chairs were hardly comfortable, but Niles paid no mind to it.

"S-so how is he, really?"

"Well for a man of your father's age, he was very lucky. The bullet entered his hip, but we removed as much of it as we could."

Niles gasped. "You mean there's still some-."

"Well it was too risky to try to remove it all, given the possibly of paralysis or even worse. But the fragments that are left are not harmful to his system."

Niles tried hard to comprehend this information. How would his father be able to function with a bullet lodged into his hip? "Wh-what?" he choked out.

"We'll continue to monitor him closely, but given the location of where the bullet entered, it's too risky to remove it all." Dr. Stratton repeated.

Niles swallowed hard. "He'll still be able to walk, won't he? Oh Dear God…"

Dr. Stratton touched Niles' back. "Your father is under the best possible care. He should be able to walk with the use of a cane."

The words were horrifying. "A-A cane? But he's still young, vibrant-."

Dr. Stratton smiled. "Lots of people use canes, Dr. Crane. Young, old, middle-aged…"

"I know that!" Niles snapped, not really meaning to. But despite Niles' guilt, Dr. Stratton seemed unfazed.

"Look, why don't you go home and get some rest? I'll keep and eye on your father. We'll know more tomorrow, all right?"

Niles nodded and extended his hand. "All right. Thank you… Dr. Stratton. Thank you… so much." They shook hands and rose from their seats.

"Get some rest, Dr. Crane. I'll see you in the morning."

As Niles walked through the tunnel that led from the hospital to the parking garage, and he almost laughed at the absurdity of Dr. Stratton's suggestion. For there was no way he would be able to get any sleep tonight. No way at all.


	7. The Return of Martin Crane VII

Niles was back at the hospital the very next day as well as the days that followed. And every day was filled with the same, awkward silences. But at least he was there, which was more than he could say for his older brother.

No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all. Frasier had a life in Boston; a life that included a wife and son. Oh how Niles adored Freddie, although he rarely saw his young nephew. The boy was growing up so fast and Niles couldn't help but feel a bit of jealously toward Frasier.

Niles wanted a son of his own so badly, but Maris, when approached with the subject of one day having children, would have none of it. But perhaps it was just as well, given her small, fragile stature. Carrying a baby would certainly wreak havoc on her, both physically and emotionally. He loved Maris so much that he'd never wish harm on her, but oh how he wanted to be a father. It meant the world to him. But for the time being, he was content to dream.

As much as he envied Frasier he also missed his older brother terribly, although he would never admit it openly to anyone; even Frasier. Before Frasier left for Harvard Law School, he and Niles were friends; best friends. They fought and competed over everything, but there was no denying the love they shared. It was a love between two brothers that somehow, over the years by separation of thousands of miles had begun to unravel. Now he and Frasier rarely spoke and on the occasions when they did, it was just as awkward as Niles' visits to his father's hospital room.

He thought about his dad, lying there in the hospital bed, and the countless hours that Niles had spent sitting beside him in the poor excuse for a comfortable chair. The room was crammed with long periods of extremely uncomfortable silence and filled with things that Niles wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to utter. And he suspected that his father felt the same. It should have been enough. It should have been more than enough, but in fact Niles was starving for more. With his mother gone, his father was the only parent he had left and suddenly even his father seemed invisible to him.

He turned his head, relieved that his father was sleeping soundly. At least there would be no excuses for the lack of conversation. But suddenly he had an urge to speak to someone else. Quietly Niles slipped out of the room, vowing to return as quickly as possible. And then he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. As he walked down the hallway and turned the corner, Niles was relieved to find the waiting room empty. He shouldn't have been surprised, for it was quite late in the day, but he was grateful for the quiet nonetheless. He sat down in one of the uncomfortable padded chairs and opened his cell phone.

His heart was beating like crazy and his fingers trembled as he dialed the number. Dear God, had he really become so disconnected from his own brother that he was afraid to make a simple phone call? The phone rang and rating and just as Niles was about to give up, he heard a voice.

 _"Hello?"  
_

"Frasier, is that you?"

The voice on the other end of the line laughed _. "No, this is Frederick!"_

Niles smiled at the sound of his young nephew's voice. He did miss him so. "Freddie! Of course! You sound so much like Fras-like your father that I almost didn't recognize you! Your voice has changed some and you're really growing up!"

There was an awkward pause before Freddie spoke again. _"Who is this?"_

Niles slapped his forehead. "Oh, I'm sorry Freddie. This is your Uncle Niles! How are you?"

 _"Oh, I'm good, Uncle Niles! When are you coming to visit?"  
_

Niles was touched by the sentiment, for his nephew rarely spoke such kind words. But then again, the Crane Boys weren't noted for being the emotional types.

"Soon, I hope."

 _"I miss you, Uncle Niles."  
_

Again Niles' heart was warmed. "I miss you too, Freddie. But I'm afraid that I'll have to stay in Seattle until your grandpa gets better."

The pause that followed was long; much too long. And Niles began to worry. Dear God, had he revealed too much? Had Frasier not yet told Freddie that his grandfather had been shot? This wasn't something that Niles was prepared to explain and it certainly wasn't his place. He wasn't the boy's father; Frasier was and as Freddie's father, Frasier should be the one who told his son the bad news. Suddenly breathing became difficult and Niles began to wheeze in and out. He looked around for a paper bag, but of course there was none. Why would there be such a ridiculous object in a hospital waiting room? Thankfully the feeling passed and he began to breathe somewhat normally.

" _Uncle Niles, is Grandpa going to be okay? I'm scared."  
_

Tears stung Niles' eyes and he swallowed hard. His nephew's question implied that Frasier had indeed told Freddie about the shooting, but Niles wasn't about to lie. He had no idea if his father was going to be all right. And he was terrified. He forced himself to remain calm, his voice steady.

"I-I don't know, Freddie. But you know what they say, prayers work wonders."

 _"Okay, Uncle Niles. I'll pray for Grandpa. I'll get Mom to pray for him too."  
_

"Th-that's good. He'll appreciate that." Fearing that his voice would break and frighten his young nephew, Niles willed his words to remain steady. "Freddie, is your dad home?"

Another pause, this one was much longer than the last, worrying Niles even further.

"Freddie? Freddie, are you there? Is something wrong?"

 _"Uncle Niles?"_

"Yes, Freddie I'm here. Is something wrong?" Niles repeated, relieved that he hadn't lost the connection.

 _"Dad's not here."  
_

Niles looked at his watch and shook his head in disbelief. "Oh of course, how silly of me. It's not quite evening there is it? Well, make sure and tell your dad to call Uncle Niles when he gets home from work, all right? It's very important."

 _"Okay, but I have to ask Mom's permission to call him."  
_

This was certainly odd. "Permission? But Freddie, he's your father and he lives under the same roof as you and your mom so why-."

 _"Um, Uncle Niles? There's something I should probably tell you."  
_

"Of course, Freddie, what is it?"

 _Dad moved out. He and Mom are getting a divorce."  
_


	8. The Return of Martin Crane VIII

Feeling as though he would faint, Niles lowered himself into the nearest chair in one fluid motion. "Dear God…"

 _"Uncle Niles, are you okay?"_ the soft, faraway voice was saying. It was then that Niles realized that the sound was coming from the floor and that in hearing the completely unexpected news, he'd dropped his cell phone. He reached over and picked it up, his hand trembling yet again as he pressed the phone to his ear.

 _"Uncle Niles, are you still there?"_

"What? Oh, yes I'm here Freddie. I… I didn't know. I-I'm sorry."

Another silence. _"Uh oh…"  
_

"What's wrong?"

 _"I guess Dad hadn't told you yet, huh? Uncle Niles, please don't tell him I said anything! He'll be so mad!"_

Niles almost chuckled, but his heart went out the boy. "I won't, Freddie I promise. But tell me something. Are you okay? Because if you need someone to talk to, I can-."

 _"Nah, I'm okay. Mom and Dad have me in all kinds of therapy, but I understand. Tommy Dorsten's parents are divorced and he gets to see his dad every weekend. They do all kinds of cool stuff together!"_ "Well, I'm sure your dad will take you to lots of fun places, but Freddie?"

 _"Yeah?"_ **  
**

"Your parents love you. Don't ever forget that, all right?"

 _"Okay."  
_

"I'll let you go now. But take care."

 _"I will. Bye Uncle Niles."  
_

Niles hung up the phone and sat in the empty waiting room, staring out into the hallway. He'd known from the start that Lilith Sternin wasn't the right woman for Frasier. She wasn't right at all. She was cold, manipulative and heartless, nothing like his Maris. And he shuddered remembering how as Niles and Maris stood in front of their friends and family to pledge their love for each other till death parted them, Lilith burst into a fit of laughter. But he wanted Frasier to be happy and although the marriage was not a perfect one, Frasier had never been a person to give up without a fight. But apparently the fight was over. He knew that Freddie was worried about the consequences of spilling a family secret; one that Frasier and Lilith obviously didn't want to share with anyone at the moment, but Niles vowed to discuss the matter with Frasier as soon as possible.

His mind traveled back to a few weeks earlier when Frasier had arrived in Seattle, not long after Niles had called him with the news that their father had been shot. Niles had been sitting in the hospital lobby, almost relishing the chance to be alone and away from the stuffy hospital room (if only for a few moments) when he heard a familiar voice.

 _"Niles!"  
_

 _He whirled around to find himself face to face with his brother. Frasier looked much older than he had the last time he'd visited Seattle, with a few fine lines around his face. But Niles knew that he'd aged as well and he was startled by how much time had passed since he'd last seen his brother.  
_

 _"F-Frasier. When did you get here?"  
_

 _"Just a little while ago. I took a cab from the airport."  
_

 _Niles felt remorse. He should have stepped up and offered to pick up Fraser from the airport. It was the right thing to do. But it was too late now. They stared at one another for several minutes and then came together for the briefest of hugs._

" _How is he?"  
_

 _"Oh he's…. Well, I'll show you to his room."  
_

 _Wordlessly they walked down the hallway until they came to the room that Niles had begun to think of as a second home. "Here we are."  
_

 _He opened the door and stepped inside. "Dad, look who's here. It's Frasier, all the way from Boston!"  
_

 _"I can see that, wise guy! Just come in, will ya? It's drafty out in that damned hallway!"  
_

 _Niles sighed and allowed Frasier to come in, offering the chair that he'd occupied for so many hours. Dutifully Frasier sat down and as Niles anticipated, the same awkward silence followed; the same expected questions.  
_

 _"How are you feeling, Dad?"_

 _Niles mind began to wander, and the awkward conversation trailed away. But it wasn't hard to imagine what the two eldest Crane men were saying. And the visit was over when Niles rose from his chair and extended his hand. "Well, I'll let you get some rest, Dad. But I'll see you soon, all right?"  
_

 _Martin Crane gave a dismissive wave. "Sure, fine, whatever. See ya, Fras."  
_

 _"Bye Dad." Niles said, gathering his coat and following his brother out of the hospital room._

 _In the hallway, the Crane brothers turned to one another.  
_

 _"It's good to see you, Niles." Frasier said again, surprising Niles with a tentative hug. "Thank you for looking after Dad in my absence. I hope to return the favor soon. I know you must be tired and I hate to keep you away from Maris."_

 _Niles smiled. "It's all right. He's my father too and…"  
_

 _"You love him."  
_

 _Niles nodded. "Yes, Frasier. Yes I do."  
_

His mind returned to the present. He opened his phone and dialed the only other number he had for his brother.

 _"Frasier Crane's office."_

"Hello is Dr. Crane in?""

 _"I'm sorry; he's in a session right now."_

Damn… "Oh, all right. Well can you tell him to call me the minute he's finished? It's extremely important. _"Of course. Who did you say was calling?"_

"Um, this is Niles… Dr. Niles Crane. Frasier's brother in Seattle."

 _"Right, Dr. Crane. Okay, I'll tell him."_

Niles sat in the lobby, waiting rather impatiently for the phone to ring. Damn it, how long could one session possibly take? And then when the phone finally rang, the sound startled him so badly that he nearly jumped through the ceiling. His hand trembled as he opened the phone and pressed it to his ear.

"H-hello?"

 _"Niles, this is Frasier. What's up?"  
_

"Well, actually-."

 _"How's Dad? You know I wanted to stay longer but I had some pressing engagements that I couldn't help."  
_

"Right, look about Dad-."

 _"Don't worry about him, Niles. Dad's a tough guy. He'll pull though all right. I promise."  
_

"Frasier-How are you doing, really?"

 _"I'm fine, Niles. Why?"_

"Well, earlier I was sitting with Dad and-."

 _"Look Niles, I know it must be hard to have to go up to the hospital every day and spend so much time away from Maris, but-."_

Niles rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, Frasier, about that-."

 _"Something wrong, Niles? Are you and Maris having problems?"_

The thought was preposterous. Niles loved his Maris! She meant the world to him! "No, I… I called your house earlier, because I wanted to talk to you and Freddie answered the phone. He, um… told me that you had moved out."

Frasier's shoulders slumped. _"Dear God, I specifically asked him not to tell! Lilith and I aren't ready!"_

"Don't blame Freddie." Niles said, jumping to his nephew's defense. I'm the one who asked him where you were! I didn't mean- I thought you had told him already!"

 _"Oh, it's all right. You might as well hear it from him because you'll hear it from someone. Yes, Niles, it's true. Lilith and I are getting a divorce."  
_

Niles bowed his head. He couldn't imagine being apart from his Maris; having to remove his wedding ring. He looked down at his hand at the band of gold that fit as though it belonged there for the rest of his life. "I'm… sorry Frasier. I know how difficult this must be for you."

 _"Yes, it's hard, but honestly our marriage has been falling apart for some time. It was bound to happen sooner or later."_

Niles was secretly relieved. Finally, Lilith Sternin, a woman he simply could not stand, would no longer be his sister-in-law. But he wasn't about to let Frasier hear the happiness in his voice. It would only make things worse. "I'm sorry Frasier."

 _"Thank you Niles."_

"What are you going to do now?"

 _"Well, I've given this a lot of thought and as much as it hurts me to leave Frederic, there's only one thing to do."  
_

"Which is?"

 _"I'm coming home, Niles. I'm moving back to Seattle."_


	9. You Can Go Home Again I

It took several nights of restless tossing and turning but Niles did get some sleep eventually. He wished that just for one night, Maris would find it in her heart to share his bedroom with him (or vice versa) because he really needed someone beside him; someone who would hold him through the night and reassure him that everything would be okay. The doctor's words had been scary and Niles simply couldn't imagine his father hobbling along with a cane. The man had been so vibrant, so alive and so dedicated to his work. Now all of that had come crashing down. But of course when he suggested sleeping in the same room, Maris only laughed and ridiculed him to the point where he vowed never to say it again.

The phone call came in the morning and he sprang out of bed, knowing that it was the hospital calling. And when Dr. Stratton informed him that father was well enough to come home, Niles was filled with utter happiness. He and his father may not have had the best relationship, but the fact that his father had survived the shooting was the most wonderful news imaginable.

He was coming home.

"Maris, please!" Niles said now, doing his best to control his anger. Maris hated it when he lost his temper. But the frustration inside of him was growing. Maris was being completely unreasonable. He loved her… deeply in fact, but sometimes…

"Niles, I said _no_ and I meant it! I have things to do!"

Of course she did. She always had better things to do when it came to his family. And the anger rose inside of him once more. "Like what?" he snapped, regretting the outburst instantly. And he regretted his words even further when he saw the flash of anger in her eyes.

"How _dare_ you raise your voice to me, Niles Crane! You _know_ how I dislike that!"

He went to her, but his attempts at making amends by engaging in a series of kisses, went unnoticed as usual. Instead he settled for a kiss on her cheek. But it was not the same. Not at all.

"I-I'm sorry, Maris!" He stammered. "But… well, Dad is family! He's _our_ family, _your_ family! And I almost lost him! So I don't understand why you can't-."

"I'm _busy_ , Niles. End of story!"

Defeated, he nodded. He should have known that this conversation was not going to end well. It never did.

"All right. Well, I'm going to leave for the hospital now. I'll get Dad all checked out and then take him home. But I might be gone a while, and-"

"Just _go,_ Niles!"

He flinched, the way he always did when she yelled at him. But it wasn't yelling. Not really. Not in the sense that one might think of yelling. It was just… well, he couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but he couldn't very well liken it to her mood swings either. The pills and therapy that he'd paid so handsomely for had been a tremendous help, but still…

He looked at her now, her eyes meeting his. And he felt that familiar sense of disappointment. "Well, I'm going to go now." He announced once more. "I'll give Dad your love."

"I never asked you to do that, Niles."

He said nothing and did not smile as he kissed her. And then he walked out the door, closing it behind him.


End file.
